Curtain stretcher



June 9, 19 25. w

A. J. BROSEY CURTAIN STRETCHER Oriinal Filed Mafch 19, 1 2 2 sheets'sheaATTORNEYS. V

June 9, 1925 A J BROSEY CURTAIN STRETCHER Original Filed March 15, 19202 sheets'sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY }:TTORNL'YYS.

Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR J. BROSEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN STRETCI-IEBI.

Original application filed March 19, 1920, SerialNo. 367,161. PatentNo.,1,485,015. Divided. and this application filed January 5, 1924.Serial No. 684,520.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. BRosEY,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Curtain Stretchers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to curtain stretcher and the object is to producean all metal stretcher which is light and durable and easilymanipulatedto stretch with accuracy and uniformity curtains of differentsizes. This application maybe considered as a divisional application ofmy original application Serial No. 367,161.

The various features of construction, ar-

' rangement and operation of my invention are illustrated on theaccompanying draw-' ing, in which- Fig. 1 isa plan view,-

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view showing the stretcher frame in uprightposition,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of one of the fittings forconnecting the stretcher bars,

Fig. 4: is a side elevational view of the litting,

Fig. 5 is an'enlarged view partly in section of the swivel joint of thethreaded stretcher bars,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing the folding joint for thelongitudinal bars,

Fig. 7 is a side view partly in section of such joint connection, and,

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of one of the clamps for securing thecurtains to the stretcher bars.

The curtain supporting frame comprises the longitudinally extendingcentral or pivot rod 10, the outer longitudinal rods 11 and, 12, thecentral transverse rod 13, and the outer transverse rods 14 and 15. Tose- Kure lightness and strength the longitudinal. rods are preferably inthe form of aluminum tubing, while the transverse rods which areexteriorly threaded are solid but of less diameter than the longitudinalrods. The longitudinal and'transverse rods intersect and are relativelyadjustable, and at each intersection is applied a fitting which may beconstructed as shown in Figs. 3 and l.

The frame is supported on suitable supports such. as tripod structures16 which can, be folded into small space. As shownthree of i suchstructures are provided, each having a U-shaped seat 17 atits upper endfor receiving the central pivot rod 10, the frame being then free to beswung to either side of has the longitudinal and transverse clampingheads 18 and 19 provided with passage- .ways 21 and 22 for receivingrespectively the longitudinal rods and transverse rods of the frame. Inorder'that the fitting may be more readily applied and adjusted theheads are split. As shown the half 18 of the head 18 is hinged at 23;and, at its end has the slottedflug 2A which registers with the lug 25in which is pivotedthe locking pin 26. The threaded end of the pinreceives the nut 27, and when the pin is within the slotted lugs and thenut tightened the 'head 18 will. be closed, and when the nut iswithdrawn the pinsm'ay be swung out of the lug 24 to permit the half 18to be swung open. The head 19 has the half19"hinged at 28 and providedwith the slotted lug 29 which registers with the lug 30 in which Ilatter lug is pivoted the pin .31 having the nut 32.

Three of these fittings a, b and 10, and in the passageways 22. of theseit tings are recelved respectively the transverse rods, 13, 14: and 15.Fittings cl, 6 andf receive the outer longitudinal rods 11 andrespectively the transverse rods 13, 14: and 15 at one end. The fittingsg, 71. and i receive the other longiutudinal rod l2 and the other endsof the respective transverse rods.

When the fittings are applied to the longi tudinal rods theirpassageways 21 willrafford suflicient clearance to permit-thefitthreaded and'consequently the fittings re-' ceiving the rod ends havetheir passage ways '22 correspondingly threaded, and the transverse rodsat their outer ends are squared as indicated at 3 1 to receive a crankor wheel 35 by; means of which the rods can be readily turned. Turningof the rods will thencause the longitudinal outer rods to be movedtoward or away from the center rod 10. At their centers the transverserods are journaledin the fittingsa, band 0 respec- '0 receive in thelrpassageways 21 the central plvot rod ti\"ely,the passageways -22 of thefittings being u-nthreaded and smootlnthe rods being held againstlongitudinal displacement The trans verse rods could be continuous andtheir by means of collars 36 and 37;

ends provided With right and left threading so that turning of the rodswould cause-the outer longitudinal rods to *be-carried td' Ward oravvayfrom the pivot rod 10. How- .everiI preferably make each transversercidof two pieces oi-ned' together at their inner ends'for relativerotational movement. As bestshown in Fig. .5 the collars 36 and 37'iv'ill-be atthe ends of the hub 38 which is received in the passageway22 of the respective fitting to be. clamped thereby. The inn'er ends ofthe halves ofeach bar would bebored outas indicated at 39 to recelve thecylindrical lugs lO and ll on the hub '38 and each.lug; at its end has aperipheral Zigroove 42into which extends a pin eX- tended .t'hroughtheWall .of the respective rod half. This arrangement Wlll perm t "thehalves of'each' transverse rod to be inde- I pendently rotated.

"The type of curtain clamping unitI ,pretelto use is best shown in Figs.'1. and 8. Theclamp is formed of alength of'sheet metal bentintermediate its ends and ex- -panded at the bend to form a cylindricalsleeve tori loop 44,'these.1oops being of sufiicient diameter {toreadilyrec'eive the longitudinal and transverse-frame rods; At the endsof the limbs' l and 46 of the clamp segmental plates 47 aresecuredattheir apex cn'ds and extend inwardly, the p'latesbeing securedagal-nst'the inner side of the lnnbs andpresenting convex inner edgesfor en- 'jein'e'nt Wit-lithe scallops or bin'din-g of 4 curtains.Normally the limbs of the'clanips are sprung apart and a link or belt 48or Wiresurrounds the'lnnbs and when shifted outwardly. towards theclamping plates the limbs will be broughtdogether and the plates inclamping engagement with a curv.tain received between them.'

W'heirthe frame is assembled the center longitudinal rod'lO Will bebelow or behind the transrerse rods, hut-the outer 'longt tu dinal rodswill be in front o1'.,above the transverse rods, as shown in Fig. 2.'lhe outer transverse rods 1 1- and 15. are'first adjusted relative to:the longitudinals in accordance witlrthelength of the curtain to bestretched and the outer longitudinal rods arethen shifted eitherinwardly, or out- \vardly, dependingizuponthe Width ofthe curtain. Theclamps on the outeulongitudinal and-transverse rods arethen applied tothe curtain ,C as shown in Fig. .1

and then the wheelr is applied to the ends of the transverse lrodsandthe rods turned,

the; threaded engagement of theirods with the fittings on the outerlongitudinal rods then causing such lon'gitudinal rods to be movedoutwardly to stretch the curtain. Thefra-me can befirst swung to oneside or the tripod structures as shown in Fig. l

and the upper halves of the transverse rods turned to straighten thecurtain edge and to stretch 1t, and then the frame can he swung over tothe other side of. the tripods RUCl-iil'lQ-Ofilltll' hHlfnOf thetransverse rods turned until the curtain edges are straight and thecurtain {has been uniformly stretched. r

- Thelongitudinalfrods areof considerable length and to put them inbetter form for shippingpurposes I preferably joint them at the centerso that they inay-befolded. As shown inFig-SJG and 7 .a bar 49 isinserted into the end of one of the rod'h-a-lvesan'd se- =cured thereinby a. pin 50. Into theend of the companiondialf'ofthe rod is inserted a.'bar 5l'wvh ichhas the longitudinal slot 52 through W'htich Q extendsthe-pin 53 Whichsupported by the half so that the-half and the bar maymove relatively. The outer end I of theubar 49 has the bifurcation orslot 54:

and the outer end of thebarfil has a similar slot 55. A jointlink 5.6engages "in the slots and is pivotedtothe IGSPGCtlVG bars by pins 57 and5S. Vhen the rod halves are brought a together and both in engagementwiththelbar able half provided with the opening .59 through ivhic-htheset screw 33 of the fitting a, d or 9 maybe inserted to setagainst. the

bar after the rod halves have been brought together, and-the halves willthen be locked against separation. I v

I thus produce a 'si-mplc;and very oflicient curtain stretcherstructureon which curtains can" be quickly and readily applied anduniformly stretched. By using thev improved clamps.withtheir YVlClGyjtUVplate-s and convex edgesflthe curta ns are securely clamped andprevented'from tearing when the. curtain is under tension, a-nd'the jawplates iby'engaging aga nstthe b ndnig ofthc scallops will preserveltheproper curvature otthe curtain edges. It ;1,S not'necessary to bendor stoopwhen apply ngthecurta-ins 'forstretchingtheln owing to thecentral pivotal su-pport'of the frame. The stretcher 'can'be ,quickly.adjusted for differentfsizes of curtains from the smallest to thelargest. fThe frame rods beingof aluminum the structure is .very l ght,and on account .of

the folding longitudinal rods "the entire st ucture can be compactlyarranged for storagezor shipment: v f

j-I do notrlesire to be limited to the exact construction 4 andarrangement shown and ENG described as modifications can be made whichwould still come within the scope of the invention,

I claim as follows:

1. In a curtain stretcher, the combination of a central longitudinalrod, a central transverse rod, a fitting secured to said centrallongitudinal rod at the center thereof, said central transverse rodbeing journaled in' said fitting at its center but locked againstlongitudinal movement, and outer longitudinal rods at each side of saidcenter longitudinal rod, a fitting secured to each outer longitudinalrod at its center, said center transverse rod being threaded, said outerlongitudinal rod fittings receiving said threaded center transverse rod,an outer transverse rod at each side of said center transverse rod,fittings adjustable longitudinally on the ends of the centerlongitudinal rod, said outer transverse rods being journaled at theircenters in said fittings to be rotated but to be locked againstlongitudinal movement, said outer transverse rods being threaded, andfittings adjustable on the outer ends of said outer longitudinal rodshaving threaded passageways for receiving the corresponding outertransverse rods, turning of said transverse rods causing movement ofsaid outer longitudinal rods toward or away from said centerlongitudinal rod.

2. In a curtain stretcher, the combination of a center longitudinal rod,center trans verse rods extending in opposite directions from the centerof said longitudinal rods, a fitting secured to said longitudinal rod atthe center thereof, said transverse center rods being swiveled at theirinner ends in said fittings to be illdependently rotatable, saidtransverse rods being threaded at their outer ends, an outerloi'igitudinal rod at each side of said center longitudinal rod,fittings secured to the centers of said outer longitudinal rods andthreadedly receiving the respective center transverse rods, means forsupporting from said outer longitudinal rods the sides of a curtain tobe stretched, means for turning said center transverse rods to therebyetl'ect movement of either outer longitudinal. rods toward or away fromthe center longitudinal rod to transversely stretch the curtain, andouter transverse rods longitudinally adjustable on said centerlongitudinal rod, and means for supporting from said outer transverserods the ends of the curtain to be stretched.

3. In a curtain. stretcher, the combination of a center longitudinalrod, supports for said rod for holding it in horizontal position, acenter transverse rod and outer transverse rods above said centerlongitudinal rod, fittings rotatable on said center longitudinal rodsand receiving said transverse rods at their centers, said transverserods being threaded and being rotatable in said fittings but lockedagainst longitudinal movement thereby, other fittings threadedlyreceiving the outer ends of said threaded transverse rods and extendingupwardly from said transverse rods, and outer longitudinal rods receivedin said fittings on said transverse rods, turning of said transverserods causing said outer longitudinal rods to be shifted toward or awayfrom the center longitudinal rod.

4. In a curtain stretcher, the combination of a center longitudinal rodand an outer longitudinal rod at each side thereof, said rods beingjointed at their centers whereby a they may be folded together, a centertransverse rod, fittings for engaging with said longitudinal rods attheir joints to lock said joints, said center transverse rod beingournaled at its center in the fitting of the center longitudinal rodwhereby said transverse rod may be rotated, said. transverse rod be ingthreaded at its ends and thefittings of the outer longitudinal rodsreceiving sa d threaded ends whereby turning of said transverse rod willcause adjustment of said outer longitudinal rods toward or away from thecenter longitudinal rod, and outer transverse rods adjustablelongitudinally on said longitudinal rods.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscriber my name this 14th day ofAugust, A.

ARTHUR J. BROSEY.

